Vending machine with goods driving mechanism

ABSTRACT

A goods driving mechanism for a vending machine includes a driver, an angle adjuster, and a release member. The angle adjuster is detachably secured to the driver and defines a plurality of diametrically-opposed through holes. A tip end of the release member extends through any diametrically-opposed pair of though holes thereby mounting the tip end of the release member to the angle adjuster. The release member is rotatable about its central axis to move goods in a direction along the central axis of the release member driven by the driver, and the starting angle of the release member can be adjusted very easily, to ensure effective delivery of any goods selected by a customer.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to vending machines, and more particularly to a vending machine with a goods driving mechanism.

2. Description of Related Art

Vending machines typically include a stock tray, and the stock tray includes a plurality of separator plates. A plurality of passages is defined between the separator plates for the merchandise to pass along. A release member is located in each of the plurality of passages. When the customer purchases the merchandise from the vending machine, a driver moves the release member to push the merchandise out of the passage. The starting position of the release member may need adjustment to ensure that the merchandise drops into a delivery tray before the permitted movement of the release member is ended. However, when adjusting the position of the release member, the release member, the driver, and the plurality of separator plates need to be detached from the stock tray, which is inconvenient. Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a goods driving mechanism and a stock tray in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an exploded, isometric view of the goods driving mechanism of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of an angle adjuster of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an assembled view of the driving mechanism of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean “at least one.”

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate an embodiment of a vending machine. The vending machine includes a stock tray 10 and a plurality of goods driving mechanisms 20 secured to the stock tray 10. In this embodiment, only one goods driving mechanism 20 is described. The goods driving mechanism 20 includes a release member 21, a driver 22, an angle adjuster 23, and a supporting plate 24. In one embodiment, the release member 21 is a rigid helical coil, and the driver 22 is a motor.

The stock tray 10 includes a rear plate 103 and a plurality of separator plates 102. A channel 101 is defined between every two separator plates 102, for receiving the goods driving mechanism 20. The plurality of separator plates 102 is substantially parallel to each other and secured to the rear plate 103. The rear plate 103 defines an installation hole 1031 corresponding to each channel 101.

The release member 21 surrounds the supporting plate 24. Goods (not shown) may be placed on the supporting plate 24 between adjacent coils of the release member 21. The release member 21 is rotated to move the goods in a direction along a central axis of the release member 21.

A rotating shaft 221 is connected to the driver 22, and a plurality of outer threads 2211 is located on an outer surface of the rotating shaft 221, for securing the angle adjuster 23.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show the angle adjuster 23 includes a securing post 230 and a turntable 232 located on the securing post 230. A securing hole 231 is defined in a first end of the securing post 230, along an axis direction of the securing post 230. A plurality of inner threads 2311 is located on an inner wall of the securing hole 231, corresponding to the plurality of outer threads 2211. A plurality of through holes 234 is defined in a second end, opposite to the first end of the securing post 230 and arranged in the peripheral surface of the securing post 230. Each of the through holes 234 extends through the securing post 230 radial direction and has a diametrically opposite through hole 234. The plurality of through holes 234 is equidistantly spaced around the securing post 230 and any through hole 234, and its diametrically opposite counterpart can receive a tip end 211 of the release member 21. A pivot shaft 233 extends outwards from the second end of the securing post 230, for hanging the supporting plate 24. A blocking gasket 2331 is located on a distal end of the pivot shaft 233, for preventing the disengagement of the supporting plate 24 from the pivot shaft 233. In one embodiment, the securing post 230 is substantially columnar.

The turntable 232 is located on outer surface of the securing post 230 and has a same central axis with the securing post 230. A plurality of teeth 2321 is located on a periphery of the turntable 232, for conveniently rotating the angle adjuster 23.

FIG. 2 shows that, the supporting plate 24 includes an elongated plate body 243 and a hanging tab 241. The hanging tab 241 extends upwards from one end of the elongated plate body 243. A hanging hole 242 is defined in the hanging tab 241 for receiving the pivot shaft 233. The hanging hole 242 includes a wide portion 2421 and a narrow portion 2423 communicating with the wide portion 2421. In one embodiment, the hanging tab 241 is substantially perpendicular to the elongated plate body 243, and the plate body 243 is substantially strip-shaped.

FIG. 4 illustrates that, in assembly, the tip end 211 of the release member 21 selectively extends through two of the plurality of though holes 234, thereby mounting the tip end 211 of the release member 21 to the angle adjuster 23. The rotating shaft 221 of the driver 22 extends through the installation hole 1031 and is inserted into the securing hole 231 of the angle adjuster 23. The rotating shaft 221 is rotated, until a top end of the rotating shaft 221 binds against the tip end 211 of the release member 21. Thus, the angle adjuster 23 is secured to the rotating shaft 221 of the driver 22.

The plate body 243 of supporting plate 24 is received in the release member 21. The blocking gasket 2331 extends through the wide portion 2421. The pivot shaft 233 is moved from the wide portion 2421 to the narrow portion 2423, to hang the supporting plate 24 on the pivot shaft 233. The goods driving mechanism 20 is thereby secured to the delivery tray 10.

In use, the driver 22 rotates the rotating shaft 221. The angle adjuster 23 is rotated together with the rotating shaft 221, to rotate the release member 21 about its central axis, and the release member 21 moves the good in the direction along the central axis of the release member 21, until the goods falls from the end of the supporting plate 24.

After repeated delivering of goods, rotating error of the driver 22 may occur such that goods would not be delivered to the end of the supporting plate 24. The operator may detach the angle adjuster 23 from the rotating shaft 221, and then the tip end 211 of the release member 21 is drawn out from the angle adjuster 23 and re-inserted into another two of the plurality of through holes 234, to adjust the starting angle of the release member 21. The starting angle of the release member 21 is adjustable accordingly, to ensure that all selected goods are well delivered from the supporting plate 24.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages have been set forth in the foregoing description of embodiments, together with details of the structures and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only and changes may be made in detail, especially in the matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A goods driving mechanism comprising: a driver; an angle adjuster detachably secured to the driver and defining a plurality of through holes; and a release member comprising a tip end secured to the angle adjuster, and the release member being movable by the driver, about a central axis, to move goods in a direction substantially parallel to the central axis of the release member; wherein a starting angle of the release member relative to the angle adjuster is changeable, by engaging the tip end of the release member in different diametrically-opposed pair of the plurality of through holes.
 2. The goods driving mechanism of claim 1, wherein a rotating shaft is connected to the driver, the angle adjuster comprises a securing post defining a securing hole, the rotating shaft is engaged in the securing hole and abuts the tip end of the release member, to prevent the release member from disengaging from the angle adjuster.
 3. The goods driving mechanism of claim 2, wherein the plurality of through holes is defined in the periphery of the securing post and communicates with the securing hole.
 4. The goods driving mechanism of claim 2, wherein the rotating shaft comprises a plurality of outer threads, and a plurality of inner threads is located in an inner wall of the securing hole corresponding to the plurality of outer threads.
 5. The goods driving mechanism of claim 3, wherein the angle adjuster further comprises a turntable extending from the securing post, and a plurality of racks is located in periphery of the turntable.
 6. The goods driving mechanism of claim 2, further comprising a supporting plate, wherein the supporting plate hangs on the angle adjuster and is configured to support the goods.
 7. The goods driving mechanism of claim 6, wherein the supporting plate comprises a plate body, and the release member surrounds the plate body and is configured to be rotated relative to the plate body.
 8. The goods driving mechanism of claim 7, wherein the supporting plate further comprises a hanging tab defining a hanging hole, a pivot shaft extends from the securing post, and the pivot shaft is received in the hanging hole, to hang the supporting plate on the pivot shaft.
 9. The goods driving mechanism of claim 8, wherein the hanging tab extends from the plate body, and the hanging tab is substantially perpendicular to the plate body.
 10. The goods driving mechanism of claim 8, wherein a blocking gasket is located on a distal end of the pivot shaft, the hanging hole comprises a wide portion and a narrow portion communication with the wide portion, and the blocking gasket extends through the wide portion to engage the pivot shaft in the narrow portion.
 11. A vending machine comprising: a stock tray, and a goods driving mechanism secured to the stock tray, the goods driving mechanism comprising: a driver; an angle adjuster detachably secured to the driver and defining a plurality of through holes; and a release member comprising a tip end secured to the angle adjuster, and the release member being rotatable driven by the driver about a central axis to move goods in a direction substantially parallel to the central axis of the release member; wherein a starting angle of the release member relative to the angle adjuster is changeable by engaging the tip end of the release member in different diametrically-opposed pair of the plurality of through holes.
 12. The vending machine of claim 11, wherein a rotating shaft is connected to the driver, the angle adjuster comprises a securing post defining a securing hole, the rotating shaft is rotatably engaged in the securing hole and abuts the tip end of the release member, to prevent the release member from disengaging from the angle adjuster.
 13. The vending machine of claim 12, wherein the plurality of through holes is defined in the securing hole and extends along an axis direction of the securing post.
 14. The vending machine of claim 12, wherein a plurality of outer threads is defined in the rotating shaft, and a plurality of inner threads is located in an inner wall of the securing hole corresponding to the plurality of outer threads.
 15. The vending machine of claim 13, wherein the angle adjuster further comprises a turntable extending from the securing post, and a plurality of racks is located in periphery of the turntable.
 16. The vending machine of claim 12, further comprising a supporting plate, wherein the supporting plate hangs on the angle adjuster and is configured to support the goods.
 17. The vending machine of claim 16, wherein the supporting plate comprises a plate body, the release member surrounds the plate body and moves the goods out of the plate body.
 18. The vending machine of claim 17, wherein the supporting plate further comprises a hanging tab defining a hanging hole, a pivot shaft extends from the securing post, and the pivot shaft is received in the hanging hole, to hang the supporting plate on the pivot shaft.
 19. The vending machine of claim 18, wherein the hanging tab extends from the plate body, and the hanging tab is substantially perpendicular to the plate body.
 20. The vending machine of claim 18, wherein a blocking gasket is located on a distal end of the pivot shaft, the hanging hole comprises a wide portion and a narrow portion communication with the wide portion, the blocking gasket extends through the wide portion to engage the pivot shaft in the narrow portion. 